In the background art, endoscopes have been used for inspecting or treating the inside of the esophagus, the stomach, the duodenum, the small intestine, the large intestine, etc. An endoscope generally has a flexible insertion portion in which plural ducts (also called channels or lumens) are formed. An optical system such as a fiber scope is inserted into a duct and disposed therein. Thus, a place to be inspected is imaged by the optical system. For example, a tissue sampling tool, a guide wire, a catheter for administering a drug solution, etc. are inserted into the other ducts so as to sample a tissue from an affected area or treat the affected area.
When an endoscope is used, various matters such as blood, gastric juice, intestinal juice, undigested gastric contents, etc. may enter a duct of the endoscope and adhere to an inner wall of the duct to thereby cause dirt. From a hygienic viewpoint, it is necessary to clean such dirt thoroughly and keep the inside of the duct clean after termination of inspection with the endoscope.
As such cleaning tools to be used for cleaning the inside of an endoscopic duct, various structures have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a brush for cleaning a duct of an endoscope, in which brush portions are provided in plural places of a front end portion of a shaft.
Patent Document 2 discloses a cleaning assistant tool which includes a liquid non-absorbing elastic body having a continuous circumference with an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of a duct in an endoscope, and a shaft member for supporting the elastic body. Patent Document 2 also discloses a duct moisture removing tool in which plural spherical water absorbing members are arranged in series and linked together at their centers by an operating wire.
Patent Document 3 discloses an endoscope cleaning brush which includes a long body portion having enough flexibility to bend along an inner wall of a duct of an endoscope when the body portion is inserted into the duct, a brush portion provided in the body portion, and a sponge portion provided in the body portion. A tube member is used as the body portion.